A 50-Something Orphan

I am a 50- something orphan!  I lost my dad in 2009 and my mom 2 years later.  It’s funny how grief works.  One would think that things would get easier as time goes by, but it doesn’t, not really.  The oddest thing can trigger memories that make me cry.

Memories

I went to a family reunion last week, the third one we’ve had in four years. I must admit that when my cousin Bambi came up with the idea to start having these I wasn’t all that thrilled. I’d been gone from Ohio and from contact with extended family for over 25 years; we’d all gone our separate ways. And me being a non-fan of social events really didn’t want to go. But you know what helped? Facebook. Yes, Facebook. The social network. The place where the non-social can BE social. Facebook has helped bring the long-lost cousins back together. There are 50 of us. Yes, we come from a fertile bunch!!

The Gains in Loss

Steve Saint recently had a spinal cord injury that, in one moment, changed everything.  His daily routine of developing tools for Christian tribal groups to reach their people and other tribes was interrupted by a piece of equipment he was testing that slammed him in the head and left him partially paralyzed.  In one moment the greatest gift we often overlook – the joy of a daily routine and having personal independence, was taken away.  Now he faced months, perhaps years of a daily routine of learning to move again and being dependent on others for so many things we take for granted.  With someone like Steve, a dedicated follower of Christ, such a moment comes with a needed clarity of what God was doing and wanting in his life. (View Steve Saint’s recovery videos here)